Rail-joint



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UNITED STATES Patented January 26, 1904.

GEORGE F. C. POVELL, OF TITUSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming'part of Letters Patent No. 750,693, dated January 26, 1904. Application filed August 12, 1903. Serial No. 169,184. (No, model.)

To all whom. t Wawy concern.:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. O. POWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Titusville, county of Crawford, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in rail-joints, and has for its object to provide a device for binding the ends of the rails together' without the use of bolts.

With this end in View this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, the construction and operation will now be described in detail, referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure l is a side elevation of my improved joint; Fig. 2, a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3, a plan view of my improved joint; Fig. 4, a perspective view of one of the main portions of my device; Fig. 5, a perspective view of the other main portion; Fig. 6, a perspective view of the key for binding the two parts together.

The joint consists of the two main portions A and B, the portion A being provided upon one side and an overhanging lip C upon the upper side, under which the fiange of the rail upon one side is adapted to fit, the rail resting upon the flat portion D upon the upper side. The main portion B of the joint is provided upon one side with an overhanging lip E opposite to the overhanging lip C of the other portion. This overhanging lip E is adapted to surround and pass over not only the opposite side of the flange of the rail, but also the edge of the portion A opposite to that upon which the lip C is located, as plainly shown in Fig. 2. The upper surface F of the portion B is provided with a longitudinal groove G, which gradually tapers or narrows toward one end, and the under surface of the portion A is provided with a corresponding longitudinally-tapered tongue H, adapted to iit in the groove G.

In joining two rails together the portion B .is arranged underneath the joint, and the portion A is slid in between the upper portion of the portion B and the lower surface of the rail, the tongue H sliding into the groove G and the two lips C and E binding upon the upper surface of the flange of the rail. The tongue H and groove G keep the two parts from separating laterally. The portion B is undercut longitudinally along the edge opposite from the lip E, as illustrated at I, and the portion A is provided with an inwardly-projecting lip J, adapted to fit under the undercut portion, and thus when the two parts are together this lip J will prevent the portion A from rising away from the portion B. After the two portions have been driven solidly together I prevent any longitudinal displacement of the parts by providing the keyway K, cut laterally through the upper surface of the portion B and through the tongue H of the portion A. This keyway gradually tapers, and after the parts are together I force the tapering key L intothe keyway, thus binding the two parts against longitudinal movement.

For the purpose of keeping the parts A and B from moving longitudinally away from the division between the rails I provide the lug M, formed upon the under side of the lip E. The ange of one of the rails at the end is cut away, so as to it around the lug, as shown in Fig. 3. Thus the joining device will be held in place while the two parts are being driven together. It will thus be seen that by this arrangement I provide an exceedingly durable, strong, and simple device for joining together the rails without the aid of bolts, and to disjoin the rails it is only necessary to remove the key L and drive the two parts from one another.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction here shown, as slight modiications could be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful isl. In a joint for railroad-rails consisting of two main portions,each portion being provided with an overhanging longitudinal lip adapted to come in contact with the upper surface of IOO the Harige of the rail upon each side, one of the portions adapted to be driven longitudinally between the upper face of the other portion and the lower surface of the rails, the upper face of the lower portion being provided with a longitudinal groove, a longitudinal tongue formed upon the under surface of the upper portion adapted to iit in the longitudinal groove of the other portion to prevent lateral movement of the two portions relative to one another, an undercut channel formed longitudinally along the edge of the lower portion opposite that edge upon which the overhanging lip is located, a longitudinal inwardly-extending lip formed upon the upper portion adapted to fit under the hang formed by the undercut upon the other portion for the purpose of preventing vertical movement of one part relative to the other, a keyway formed laterally through the upper surface of the lower portion and through the tongue of the upper portion, and a key adapted to be driven into the keyway to prevent longitudinal movement of one part relative to the other, as and for the purpose speeiiied.

2. A joint for railroad-rails consisting of two parts, each part being provided with an overhanging lip upon its upper surface, said lips adapted to come in contact with the upper surface of the ange or' the rail, one part adapted to be driven between the upper surface of the lower part and the under surface of the rail, the lower portion being provided with a longitudinal tapering groove formed in its upper surface, a longitudinal tapering tongue formed upon the lower surface of the upper part adapted to fit into the groove, means for preventing vertical displacement of the two parts relative to one another, a keyway formed in the upper surface of the lower part iush with the bottom of the groove, a keyway formed laterally through the tongue of the other portion adapted to register with the keyway in the lower portion when the two parts are together, a tapering key adapted to be forced into the keyway to prevent longitudinal displacement of one part relative to the other, a lug ex-v tending downward from the under side of the overhanging lip of the lower portion against which the ends of the'ange of the rails upon one side will abut, the flange of the rail being cut out at this point to allow the ends or' the rails to come in close contact with one another, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afiixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE F. C. PONELL. Vv'itnesses:

L. S. CLARK, S. S. BRYAN. 

